IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i15p7991-d603353.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Mental Illness Stigma and Associated Factors among Arabic-Speaking Religious and Community Leaders

Author

Listed:
  • Klimentina Krstanoska-Blazeska

    (Mental Health, Translational Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW 2560, Australia)

  • Russell Thomson

    (Centre for Research in Mathematics and Data Science, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW 2560, Australia)

  • Shameran Slewa-Younan

    (Mental Health, Translational Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW 2560, Australia
    Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3053, Australia)

Abstract

Evidence suggests that Arabic-speaking refugees in Australia seek help from informal sources, including religious and community leaders, when experiencing mental health issues. Despite their significant influence, there is scarce research exploring attitudes of Arabic-speaking leaders toward mental illness. The current exploratory study explored mental illness stigma and various factors among Arabic-speaking religious and community leaders. This study uses a subset of data from an evaluation trial of mental health literacy training for Arabic-speaking religious and community leaders. Our dataset contains the pre-intervention survey responses for 52 Arabic-speaking leaders (69.2% female; mean age = 47.1, SD = 15.3) on the ability to recognise a mental disorder, beliefs about causes for developing mental illness, and two stigma measures, personal stigma, and social distance. Being female was associated with a decrease in personal stigma. An increase in age was associated with an increase in personal stigma. Correct recognition of a mental disorder was associated with decreased personal stigma, and after adjusting for age and gender, significance was retained for the I-would-not-tell-anyone subscale. Endorsing the cause “being a person of weak character” was associated with an increase in personal stigma. There is an urgent need for future research to elucidate stigma to develop effective educational initiatives for stigma reduction among Arabic-speaking leaders.

Suggested Citation

  • Klimentina Krstanoska-Blazeska & Russell Thomson & Shameran Slewa-Younan, 2021. "Mental Illness Stigma and Associated Factors among Arabic-Speaking Religious and Community Leaders," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-13, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:15:p:7991-:d:603353
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/15/7991/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/15/7991/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Carla Abi Doumit & Chadia Haddad & Hala Sacre & Pascale Salameh & Marwan Akel & Sahar Obeid & Maria Akiki & Elie Mattar & Najla Hilal & Souheil Hallit & Michel Soufia, 2019. "Knowledge, attitude and behaviors towards patients with mental illness: Results from a national Lebanese study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(9), pages 1-16, September.
    2. Samir Al-Adawi & Atsu S.S. Dorvlo & Suad S. Al-Ismaily & Dalal A. Al-Ghafry & Balquis Z. Al-Noobi & Ahmed Al-Salmi & David T. Burke & Mrugeshkumar K. Shah & Harith Ghassany & Suma P. Chand, 2002. "Perception of and Attitude towards Mental Illness in Oman," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 48(4), pages 305-317, December.
    3. Yulisha Byrow & Rosanna Pajak & Tadgh McMahon & Amitabh Rajouria & Angela Nickerson, 2019. "Barriers to Mental Health Help-Seeking Amongst Refugee Men," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-15, July.
    4. Rashda Tabassum & Ann Macaskill & Iftikhar Ahmad, 2000. "Attitudes Towards Mental Health in an Urban Pakistani Community in the United Kingdom," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 46(3), pages 170-181, September.
    5. Link, B.G. & Phelan, J.C. & Bresnahan, M. & Stueve, A. & Pescosolido, B.A., 1999. "Public conceptions of mental illness: Labels, causes, dangerousness, and social distance," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 89(9), pages 1328-1333.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ilse Blignault & Hend Saab & Lisa Woodland & Klara Giourgas & Heba Baddah, 2022. "Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Multicultural Australia: A Collaborative Regional Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-21, February.
    2. Madsen, Julian & Jobson, Laura & Slewa-Younan, Shameran & Li, Haoxiang & King, Kylie, 2024. "Mental health literacy among Arab men living in high-income Western countries: A systematic review and narrative synthesis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 346(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Omar Hegazi & Samer Alalalmeh & Ahmad Alfaresi & Soheil Dashtinezhad & Ahmed Bahada & Moyad Shahwan & Ammar Abdulrahman Jairoun & Tesleem K. Babalola & Haya Yasin, 2022. "Development, Validation, and Utilization of a Social Media Use and Mental Health Questionnaire among Middle Eastern and Western Adults: A Pilot Study from the UAE," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-18, November.
    2. Wright, Annemarie & Jorm, Anthony F. & Mackinnon, Andrew J., 2011. "Labeling of mental disorders and stigma in young people," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(4), pages 498-506, August.
    3. Alyssia Rossetto & Anthony F. Jorm & Nicola J. Reavley, 2014. "Examining Predictors of Help Giving Toward People With a Mental Illness," SAGE Open, , vol. 4(2), pages 21582440145, May.
    4. Jacobs, Susan & Quinn, Joseph, 2022. "Cultural reproduction of mental illness stigma and stereotypes," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    5. Kathy Knox & Jasmina Fejzic & Amary Mey & Jane L Fowler & Fiona Kelly & Denise McConnell & Laetitia Hattingh & Amanda J Wheeler, 2014. "Mental health consumer and caregiver perceptions of stigma in Australian community pharmacies," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 60(6), pages 533-543, September.
    6. Madsen, Julian & Jobson, Laura & Slewa-Younan, Shameran & Li, Haoxiang & King, Kylie, 2024. "Mental health literacy among Arab men living in high-income Western countries: A systematic review and narrative synthesis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 346(C).
    7. Ben Butlin & Keith Laws & Rebecca Read & Matthew D Broome & Shivani Sharma, 2019. "Concepts of mental disorders in the United Kingdom: Similarities and differences between the lay public and psychiatrists," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 65(6), pages 507-514, September.
    8. Lorenza Magliano & Andrea Fiorillo & Heidegret Del Vecchio & Claudio Malangone & Corrado De Rosa & Carla Bachelet & Giampiero Cesari & Rosa D'Ambrogio & Francesca Fulgosi Cigala & Franco Veltro & Paol, 2009. "Development and Validation of a Self-Reported Questionnaire On Users’ Opinions About Schizophrenia: a Participatory Research," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 55(5), pages 425-441, September.
    9. Ying Ying Lee & Wei Ler Koo & Yi Fong Tan & Vanessa Seet & Mythily Subramaniam & Suying Ang & Charmaine Tang, 2022. "A Mixed-Methods Outcomes Evaluation Protocol for a Co-Produced Psychoeducation Workshop Series on Recovery from Psychosis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-15, November.
    10. Meng Zheng & Feng Chen & Yan Pan & Di Kong & Andre M. N. Renzaho & Berhe W. Sahle & Rashidul Alam Mahumud & Li Ling & Wen Chen, 2022. "Trends and Impact Factors of Mental Health Service Utilization among Resettled Humanitarian Migrants in Australia: Findings from the BNLA Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-14, August.
    11. Lucy, Meghann, 2024. "“Fighting demons”: Stigma and shifting norms in explicit mention of overdose in obituaries, 2010–2019," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 350(C).
    12. Gert Scheerder & Chantal Van Audenhove & Ella Arensman & Barbara Bernik & Giancarlo Giupponi & Anne-Claire Horel & Margaret Maxwell & Merike Sisask & Andras Szekely & Airi Värnik & Ulrich Hegerl, 2011. "Community and Health Professionals’ Attitude Toward Depression: a Pilot Study in Nine Eaad Countries," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 57(4), pages 387-401, July.
    13. Yang, Lawrence H. & Purdie-Vaughns, Valerie & Kotabe, Hiroki & Link, Bruce G. & Saw, Anne & Wong, Gloria & Phelan, Jo C., 2013. "Culture, threat, and mental illness stigma: Identifying culture-specific threat among Chinese-American groups," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 56-67.
    14. Ruth León-Pinilla & Ana Soto-Rubio & Vicente Prado-Gascó, 2020. "Support and Emotional Well-Being of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-17, November.
    15. Takashi Yamauchi & Tsuneo Semba & Anju Sudo & Nobuko Takahashi & Hirofumi Nakamura & Kunihiro Yoshimura & Hitoshi Koyama & Shoko Ishigami & Tadashi Takeshima, 2011. "Effects of psychiatric training on nursing students’ attitudes towards people with mental illness in Japan," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 57(6), pages 574-579, November.
    16. Ahmed El Missiry & Marwa Abd El Meguid & Ahmed Abourayah & Marwa El Missiry & Mohamed Hossam & Hussien Elkholy & Afaf H Khalil, 2019. "Rates and profile of victimization in a sample of Egyptian patients with major mental illness," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 65(3), pages 183-193, May.
    17. Sara Ali & Danah Elsayed & Saadia Elahi & Belal Zia & Rania Awaad, 2022. "Predicting rejection attitudes toward utilizing formal mental health services in Muslim women in the US: Results from the Muslims’ perceptions and attitudes to mental health study," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 68(3), pages 662-669, May.
    18. Sadler, Melody S. & Meagor, Elizabeth L. & Kaye, Kimberly E., 2012. "Stereotypes of mental disorders differ in competence and warmth," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(6), pages 915-922.
    19. Carpiano, Richard M. & Fitz, Nicholas S., 2017. "Public attitudes toward child undervaccination: A randomized experiment on evaluations, stigmatizing orientations, and support for policies," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 127-136.
    20. Dorthe Varning Poulsen & Anna María Pálsdóttir & Sasja Iza Christensen & Lotta Wilson & Sigurd Wiingaard Uldall, 2020. "Therapeutic Nature Activities: A Step Toward the Labor Market for Traumatized Refugees," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-19, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:15:p:7991-:d:603353. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.